Activated carbon has found use in various applications such as air and water purification, hydrocarbon adsorption in automotive evaporative emission control and cold start hydrocarbon adsorption, etc. While microporous structure carbon (pore diameter less than 20 angstroms and BET surface area of 1000-3000 m.sup.2 /g) are suitable for many applications such as gas phase adsorption e.g. light hydrocarbons and H.sub.2 S, some applications require larger size of pores in the carbon for optimum adsorption and/or catalytic activity. For example, removal of larger molecular size pollutants such as humine, protein, etc. in liquid phase, in addition to conventional gaseous pollutants, such as hydrocarbons, or certain kinds of pesticides require specific surface properties and poresize distributions. When catalytic or chemical reaction is limited by mass and heat transfer, larger size of pores in the carbon is preferred. Also, mesoporosity in the carbon is sometimes required for adequate catalyst loading and dispersion.
Activated carbon monoliths, whether in the form of a coating on a substrate, or a shaped structure of activated carbon, have found use in various applications especially where durability and low pressure drop is required, such as some chemical reactions using strong acidic or basic solvents or other corrosive media.
Metal catalysts have been used to make activated carbon supported catalysts, as have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,023. However, up to this time, there has not been a method of making activated carbon that having tailored properties, porosity, for example, for some gas and liquid phase, as well as catalytic applications.